HEN-GEAR Project Final Conference, Yerevan, October 29, 2015, Yerevan State University

Submitted by Luisa Mengoni on Mon, 11/02/2015 - 16:50

The HEN-GEAR Project Final Conference, was held in Yerevan, October 29, 2015, at the Yerevan State University (Academic Council Meeting room, Central Building, 5th floor) .The meeting has been the occasion to present the results achieved within the three years cooperation project, aiming at establish, in Armenia, an integrated demand supply matching model based on the graduates’ database (on the model developed in Italy by AlmaLaurea) and designed to collect and analyze data on university and graduates performances and facilitate the placement of graduates. In the opening remarks of the morning session, the delegates from the Ministries of Education and Labour and the Rectors of partner universities highlighted the need of the HEN-GEAR project for the country and the remarkable results achieved, in particular their commitment to the future of the project, with HEN-GEAR universities formalizing it with the signature of the project sustainability plan.

During the meeting, new universities expressed their interest in the project and the future joining of the platform.

Among the main achieved project outcomes presented: the innovative HEN-GEAR platform for monitoring HE system and employability, comprising at now more than 8200 students, and the first Graduates’ Profile Survey run in the eight partner universities and summarized by ANQA in a “National” Report.

The final conference has been also a moment to discuss, in the afternoon round table, the relationship between the Armenian Higher Education System and the local Labour Market, with representatives from the Ministry of Labour, the Young Businessmen of Armenia, University career services and local companies. European Experience of Cooperation between business sector and universities and the opportunities given by the HEN-GEAR project was provided by the European Partners of the HEN-GEAR.

The Meeting saw the participation of institutions and distinguished guests from inside and outside the country, as the RA Ministry of Education and Science, RA Ministry of Labour and Social Issues, the Rectors of the Armenian Universities, the National Quality Assurance Agency, the Associations of Armenian Entrepreneurs, the National Erasmus Office of Armenia, Business representatives, together with European countries involved in the projects (Spain and Portugal).